KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has called for a review of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) this year, urging the government to remove its “oppressive and draconian” provisions as part of institutional reforms.

In a statement today, Lim expressed concern over the recent police questioning of Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy in connection with a hunger strike by the families of Sosma detainees.

“The purported ‘arrest’ by the police of Suaram’s executive director Sevan Doraisamy for questioning in relation to the hunger strike by the families of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) detainees is disturbing and has highlighted the need to fulfil PH’s promise to address this problematic law.

“Sosma should be reviewed this year to remove oppressive and draconian provisions to showcase the unity government’s commitment to institutional reforms aligned with fundamental human rights and rule of law,” he said.

“Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had promised in December 2022 that Sosma could be reviewed and amended in the future,” Lim said.

He also pointed out that in March 2022, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim — then the Opposition leader — successfully led the opposition in blocking a five-year extension of Sosma’s Section 4(5), which allows authorities to detain individuals for up to 28 days without access to the courts.

“Every PH leader has always viewed Sosma as too harsh and oppressive in nature,” Lim said, highlighting four other provisions he described as problematic:

• Section 6 relating to interception of communications;
• Section 13, which relates to bail after an accused is charged and provides for the continued detention of a person pending trial, even where the facts of the case would not otherwise support the need for such pre-trial detention;
• Section 14 relating to the taking of evidence of witnesses in a manner not seen or heard by an accused or his counsel;
• Section 30 which permits an application by the public prosecutor to remand an accused who has been acquitted after trial, when there is an appeal.